Copyright: This collection may be protected from unauthorized copying by the Copyright Law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code).

Biographical/Historical Sketch:

In 1956 the modern Mississippi Republican Party, of which the Republican Party of Forrest County was a branch, was recognized by the National Republican Party as the official state organization. This ended the recognition of the "Black and Tan" faction of the party. The party then began to grow slowly in the state. In 1959 a Republican was elected coroner in Holmes County. In 1960 Joe A. Moore ran as a Republican against James O. Eastland in a state-wide race for the United States Senate. And in 1963 Rubel L. Phillips made the first strong Republican challenge in twentieth century Mississippi politics when he ran for governor against Paul B. Johnson, Jr.

Scope and Content:

This collection largely consists of the 1959-1963 correspondence of Fred D. Montague and Forrest County Republican Party Chairman, Clarence E. Tolar. Most of the correspondence was received from the Mississippi Republican Party headquarters, and much of this was signed by the state chairman, Wirt A. Yerger, Jr. Letters from other individuals and organizations are present, and some outgoing correspondence is also included. Much of the earlier correspondence concerns political patronage positions at the Hattiesburg Post Office and the 1960 census. Other correspondence is concerned with local meetings, fund raising, and attempts to increase Republican Party membership and support for state and national candidates. Other materials include the following: pamphlets and booklets that promote Republican Party positions and candidates, a copy of the 1963 party by-laws, a fund-raising manual, audits of the state party treasury, and miscellaneous materials such as fund-raising dinner tickets and pledge cards.